Skilled cops opt for private security jobs
Police members leave to protect taxi bosses and businessmen
South Africa’s elite Special Task Force (STF) members are leaving in droves to join private security companies where they can earn up to three times their previous salaries, often as protectors for high-risk businessmen and taxi bosses.
Earlier this week, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi raised the alarm on the mass exodus and said the National Intervention
(NIU) was also bleeding trained officers.
An officer close to the situation confirmed the situation, saying: “They are leaving in droves and the problem is that a lot of money goes into training this elite team. But when you complain to the police, they will tell you that the police service is bigger than you.”
He said the number of members has fallen from 50 to fewer than 20 in KwaZuluNatal. “There is a crisis and the problem is that Treasury can’t do anything about it.”
On average, STF members earn R35,000 a month, whereas they could earn up to R98,000 a month at private security companies.
According to the Private Security Industry RegulatUnit ory Authority (PSIRA) annual report, there were more than 2.8-million registered security officers as of March, with 577,444 currently employed. That compares with just 140,048 SAPS members in 2022.
A senior police officer, who asked not to be identified, said the situation is so dire that five to 10 officers quit in one month.
“I am not aware of anything that is being done to address the issue, even though we are raising it internally. We train the youngsters and then they get these offers and there is nothing to prevent them from leaving,” the officer said.
“If you don’t create opportunities for people to grow, especially for people who specialise, you must have a clear progression plan for those people.”
Crime experts say the drain on the police force leaves the country ever more vulnerable to already high incidents of crime.
The STF is a specialised unit within the SAPS responsible for responding to high-risk incidents, including hostage situations, search and rescue missions, and providing operational support to other police units.
In February, the STF unit ranked among the top 10 Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams globally after participating in the UAE SWAT Challenge, which featured 55 teams from law enforcement agencies worldwide. The competition evaluated the tactical prowess, mental focus, and physical endurance of the law enforcement units.
According to Nurse Mdletshe, the provincial manager of the South African Policing Union KZN, of an original complement of 53 STF members in KwaZuluNatal, fewer than 15 are still in the unit.
“This situation is a matter of serious concern that management should not underestimate. Substantial amounts of money are invested in training these members for over two years, yet many depart after only a few years of service,” she said.
Most of the members move to private security companies where they end up training the guards using police methods, she said.
Shaheen Suleiman, manager at Magma Security, said former STF members wanted to improve their income and private security companies wanted to use their soughtafter skills to offer comprehensive services to clients.
“This is precisely why we actively seek individuals like former STF members in our recruitment process. They exhibit exceptional prowess in VIP protection services, a crucial aspect in providing security to individuals and delivering proficient bodyguard services,” said Suleiman.
Manhar Parshotham, the founder of Dragon Protection Services, said there were several factors, including political influence, mismanagement, and favouritism, that led to STF members joining the private sector. He said Dragons members earn salaries according to their job functions:
Armed response members earn R8,500 to R10,000 a month;
Tactical response members get R13,500 to R20,000;
Close-protection officers earn R25,000 to R40,000;
Management staff get R15,000 to R30,000; and Contractors (which most former STF and SAPS members become) earn R800 to R3,500 a day. That means they can earn as much as R24,500 a week and R98,000 a month, excluding benefits such as medical aid.
Fidelity ADT CEO Wahl Bartmann said the influx of highly-trained former officers into security companies brings expertise to counter organised crime.
“We’ve seen over the years that a lot of these experts resign and join the private security companies, where we use their expertise to support us and assist in the business that we do,” he said.
Richard Mamabolo, the national spokesperson for the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, said the full extent of the issue hasn’t been determined nationwide, though the problem appears to be widespread in KwaZulu-Natal.
SAPS national spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the attrition rate was well within national and international norms.
“Every year, we continuously train and deploy members to specialised units. This is an ongoing process to ensure there is no vacuum in terms of the deployment of specialised capabilities to address medium to high-risk situations across the country,” she said.